In Our Time – Demosthenes’ Philippics (Archive Episode)

BBC Radio 4
Aired: August 28, 2025
Host: Melvyn Bragg
Guests: Paul Cartledge (Clare College, Cambridge), Catherine Tempest (University of Roehampton), John Hesk (University of St Andrews)

Overview of the Episode

In this episode, Melvyn Bragg and his expert panel delve into the life and legacy of the Athenian statesman and orator Demosthenes, focusing on his famous Philippics – a series of incendiary speeches directed against Philip II of Macedon. The discussion explores Demosthenes’ early life, his rise as a powerful speaker, the political context of 4th-century BC Greece, the rhetorical strategies and impact of the Philippics, and Demosthenes’ influence on later generations, from Cicero to modern democratic revolutions.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Early Life and Background of Demosthenes

[01:49-03:25]

• Birth & Family: Born in 384 BC into a wealthy Athenian family; his father was a prosperous arms manufacturer.
• Family Misfortune: Lost his father at age seven; his guardians mismanaged or embezzled his inheritance.
• Legal Beginnings: Sued his guardians upon reaching adulthood, delivering five prosecution speeches — gaining reputation and honing his rhetorical talent.
  • John Hesk: "He actually launches a series of prosecutions...in order to get his property back. He doesn't get much back, but he does actually make a reputation for himself through those speeches." [01:49]

2. Athens: A Society of Speech

[06:17-08:58]

• Oral Culture: Athenian political and legal life depended on public oratory; no lawyers to speak for you — citizens delivered their own cases.
  • Catherine Tempest: "A man was expected to speak on his own behalf." [07:30]
• Training: Demosthenes trained intensively, possibly with Isaeus, focused both on practical oratory and theory of rhetoric.
• Innovative Preparation: Known for relentless practice — stories include speaking with pebbles in his mouth to overcome a lisp, building chambers for practicing, and seeking advice from actors.
  • John Hesk: "He would practice speaking by putting pebbles in his mouth...He wrote his speeches out, practiced them, honed them..." [05:06]

3. From Speechwriter to Political Operator

[03:27-04:27]

• Transitioned from writing private legal speeches to drafting for politicians, carving a space in the city’s political courts.
  • John Hesk: "He starts writing speeches for people...and for prominent politicians." [03:45]
• Needed both strong rhetorical skills and sharp political acumen, mastering both internal Athenian and international affairs.

4. The Political Context: Instability and the Rise of Macedon

[10:11-15:09]

• Competing Powers: The balance of power in Greece was complex with Sparta, Athens, Thebes, Macedon, and Persian interests.
• Macedonian Threat: Philip II transformed Macedonia into a formidable power through reforms, military innovation, cunning diplomacy, and strategic expansion—systematically undermining Athens’ influence.
  • Paul Cartledge: "...Philip and his son Alexander were two of the greatest. So Philip was exceptionally savvy...brilliant diplomatist, crooked as hell." [12:33]
• Athens' Dilemma: Trying to recover former power and reputation amid these shifting allegiances, often reacting too late to Macedon's moves.

5. Analysis of the Philippics

a. The First Philippic

[15:09-20:31]

• Purpose: Urged Athenians to form a rapid reaction force, commit finances, and personally join the fight in the north.
• Tone & Tactics: Combined dire warnings, clever analogies (e.g., shaming Athenians by comparing their military passivity to the ineffective response of a "foreigner in a boxing match"), and appeals to Athenian pride and history.
  • Demosthenes via Hesk: “You wage war on Philip in the same way that a foreigner fights in a boxing match...when he’s struck, he moves his hand where he was hit, but gets hit somewhere else.”
• Immediate Impact: No urgent action followed; proposals were considered unworkable and expensive.
  • Paul Cartledge: "He doesn't yet have the critical mass of ordinary Athenians...apathy is what Demosthenes calls it." [21:07]
• Self-Presentation: Demosthenes positions himself as a candid, foresighted, and sometimes solitary critic, though others shared his concerns to varying degrees.

b. The Third Philippic

[26:33-32:25]

• Rhetorical Masterclass: Seen as Demosthenes’ greatest oration — an impassioned, xenophobic attack on Philip and a call to defend Greek freedom against tyranny and foreign domination.
  • Catherine Tempest: "It is a phenomenal piece of craftsmanship and rhetoric...he talks about Macedon as being a place that you wouldn’t even buy your slaves from..." [26:58]
• Effective Strategies: Repeated use of shaming, analogies (e.g. “ship of state” in a storm), historical parallels (comparing Macedonian tyranny to Persian invasions), and accusations of domestic traitors bribed by Philip.
• Momentum: By 341 BC, Demosthenes’ message started resonating in Athens, contributing to a revival of anti-Macedonian sentiment.

6. Techniques and Legacy of Demosthenes

[33:33-36:29]

• Oratorical Excellence: Fused rational argument, emotional appeal (“thunderbolts”), carefully chosen analogies and metaphors — "a consummate political communicator."
• Influence: Model for Roman oratory (notably Cicero) and later became a symbol for republicanism and resistance against tyranny.
  • Catherine Tempest: "Greek and Roman writers of rhetoric are united in seeing Demosthenes as the greatest orator of all times." [40:06]
• Varied Reputation: Though honored in Athens after defeat at Chaeronea (giving the funeral oration), rivals and later critics painted him as both a hero and a demagogue.

7. Demosthenes’ Final Years, Death, and Reception

[38:06-39:53]

• Aftermath: Following Athens’ failed revolt on Alexander’s death, Demosthenes became a marked man, taking his own life in exile to avoid Macedonian retribution.
  • Paul Cartledge: "He chose to die the way he wanted to in his own choice, in his own place and time, heroically." [38:06]
• Posthumous Reception: Immediately honored in Athens as a defender of democracy; became a martyr figure in later ages.
• Later Legacy: Revered by Roman and modern orators, used as an inspiration in the American and British traditions for arguments against tyranny.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “Those who wage war properly must anticipate events rather than follow them. You wage war on Philip in the same way that a foreigner fights in a boxing match...”
  — Demosthenes, as explained by John Hesk [16:49]

• “It has the most xenophobic attack on Philip that you could possibly imagine...now here we are, bowing to Philip.”
  — Catherine Tempest on the Third Philippic [26:58]

• “The clarity and the various ways in which he’d express it, going from passionate to very calm and rational, really stood out as something that later orators wanted to emulate.”
  — Catherine Tempest [40:06]

• “He is a bit of a sound bite merchant.”
  — John Hesk on Demosthenes’ quotability [36:41]

• “Demosthenes is also really a hero of the American Revolution...the founding fathers...all study Demosthenes at college.”
  — John Hesk [42:14]

Important Timestamps

• [01:49] Demosthenes’ early life, family, and legal battles
• [03:27] Starting as a speechwriter
• [05:06] Overcoming a weak voice; training and preparation
• [06:17] Importance of speech in Athens
• [10:11] Political instability and rise of Macedon
• [12:33] Philip II’s strategies and diplomatic prowess
• [15:19-18:45] Strengths, tactics, and analogies of the First Philippic
• [21:07] Why the First Philippic failed to prompt immediate Athenian action
• [26:33] The Third Philippic: anti-Philip rhetoric and its significance
• [33:45] Demosthenes’ reputation among contemporaries
• [38:06] Demosthenes’ suicide in exile and heroization
• [40:06] Demosthenes as the rhetorical model for Cicero and posterity
• [42:14] Demosthenes’ lasting impact on American and British revolutionary thought

Bonus: Reflections & Additional Insights (Post-episode Discussion)

• Shifting Rhetorical Strategies: Demosthenes’ early speeches used direct criticism, but over time he learned to mix pride and shaming more strategically.
  • Catherine Tempest: “He saves all of that harsh energy for Philip and then the pride for the Athenians...”
• The Nature of Ancient Debates: Real Athenian assemblies likely featured interruptions, heckling, and lively back-and-forth, contrasting with the polished written speeches that survive.
  • John Hesk: “There probably was more back and forth, more real debate...”
• Legacy Debates: Some later conservatives distrusted Demosthenes, painting him as a rabble-rouser or even cowardly, especially when opposed to monarchy or empire.
• Plutarch & Later Sources: Our view is colored by ancient biographies, including Plutarch’s, which mix anecdote and polemic from both admirers and detractors.

Conclusion

Demosthenes’ Philippics stand as some of the greatest works of political persuasion in classical history. Combining sharp analysis, searing invective, and emotional urgency, these speeches galvanized resistance against Macedon and inspired generations in their fight for democracy and against tyranny. As this episode demonstrates, their influence — and the debates around Demosthenes — resound far beyond ancient Athens, echoing through Roman rhetoric, Victorian classicism, and even the American Revolution.